November 12, 2007 -
There may not be, as the saying goes, any atheists in foxholes.But there certainly are plenty of gamers.
A non-profit group is hoping to keep those gamers relaxed between missions by collecting games and systems for deployed U.S. military personnel.
As reported by the Bucks County Courier-Times (in GP's neck of the woods, actually), Fun For Our Troops was started by military wife Stefanie Doctor Shea. Sgt. Michael Shea, her husband, was recently deployed for a second tour of duty in Iraq. The Sheas are seen in the photo at left, taken on the day Sgt. Shea left for Iraq.
Choosing video games as the focus of her support efforts was far from a random choice. Before her husband shipped out the couple spent a lot of their down time enjoying the Nintendo Wii at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
Dana Blackman Brady, married to a former Army Ranger, is partnering with Stefanie in the effort to get games to service personnel. She commented:
What [the troops] really appreciate over there are the true comforts of home. The stress relief and the escapism involved in these games, we really think could be beneficial.
We're hoping to get [video games] throughout the year. We don't want to have [soldiers] wait. We do foresee the issues with Christmas. It's going to be a crunch for those games.
Although the Defense Department provides no support to such efforts, the women have worked out a plan for getting the games to the troops. Stefanie Doctor Shea described the program:
We are working on an official website which will allow troops to sign themselves up as recipients or family members can sign them up. They will also be able to tell us what, if any, systems they do have so we can donate appropriate games.
Hopefully the site will be up in the next week or so (we have someone donating their services to build the site). We are willing to work with all branches of the military but the recipients themselves must be on a deployment. Our intention is that the equipment we send over will be passed on to troops in the unit that will replace them.
Donations can be made via the group's website.
Comments
The only way I can see a common phrase like that could be taken a very bad way, would be by someone intentionally looking for something to take a very bad way. Such an individual would seek out anything to take a very bad way, and that phrase wouldn't be the thing that most likely triggered/set the individual off, there's far more interesting things to take a bad way in GP posts.
There is an addition to that saying. "That isn't a comment against atheist, it's a comment against foxholes."
http://www.atheistfoxholes.org/relatedArticles.php
This is the last I will say on this subject because the last time I got into an argument involving religion on the internet it took nearly three months until the other guy got tired and said 'screw it'. It's not even within context of this article to be having a debate on semantics. The idea that if my life was at stake I would give up all of my beliefs and cry out to a god I don't believe in is insulting to my convictions.
You are the one making it a religious argument. I simply am saying let the statement go.
The "no atheists in foxholes" saying is more connected to the idea that extreme stress and the potential that you may die, may very well cause a questioning of your beliefs. Just like a Christian, Jew or Muslim might question their faith in god in the face of incredible violence and death and there own mortality so too may an atheist.
Now moving on to the actual point of the story, I have several systems around that I don't use but that are still in very good order. Think those would be wanted, or would I be better of with just donating cash?
Just remember people. You do not need to defend your faith or lack, just have it or not.
That aside I still think it is good idea here. Spread the love or at least the games.
:D
Purchase some of your "murder-simulators," or if you'd want more specific data, "military-simulators." Provide them to troops, then compare their fitness reports before and after.
Should prove your correlation. Right?
ah the first golf war I can remember it now... the first President's bush playing golf int eh sands...for acouple years.
It seems his boy forgot to bring his clubs for this one.....
wha?
sorry :P
Re:
I send them magazines games and dvd movies all the time it's great the wives are doing this its a good form of marriage counseling, but sending them anything is always appreciated.